Four arrested for 40 burglaries across the Mumbai

Mumbai: The property cell of Mumbai crime branch has arrested four criminals wanted for committing 40-odd burglaries across the city. The four accused are suspected of having decamped with cash and valuables worth Rs 22 lakh after breaking into shops usually between 2am and 5am, said police sources.

Following a tip-off, property cell officials set a trap and arrested the main accused: Sayyad Ahmed Shaikh (40), who later confessed to the crimes carried out by him and his three accomplices - Rashid Mohammad Rafique Shaikh (28), Hussain Mohammad Rafique Shaikh (27). and Raju Pandurang Ambekar (44). The crime branch arrested the four accused and handed them over to Gamdevi police, which is investigating their role in 12 burglaries.

A senior police official said that while investigating the case with the help of CCTV footage, crime branch officials set up a trap in Mankhurd and arrested one of the accused who led them to the other three absconding accused hailing from Santacruz, Andheri and Thane. They were all repeat offenders with previous cases of housebreaking registered against them.

Speaking to The Asian Age, crime branch property cell assistant police inspector Sunil Mane said, “The crime branch of property cell arrested the four accused on the basis of various property crimes registered against them. We have given their custody to Gamdevi police, who will book them under relevant sections of the IPC.” The arrested four have confessed to breaking into more than 40 shops.